Farmers gather at the floating market with their boats laden with vegetables, flowers and fruits. They call out to the buyers in local Kashmiri dialect. The vegetables and flowers they sell are grown in large floating farms on the lake itself and also in the catchment area surrounding the waterbodies.

A boat ride on the Dal is not complete unless you have been approached by a steady stream of vendors, selling itr, jewellery and semi-precious stones. Every now and then, a smiling Kashmiri man will waddle towards you through the thick green algae. The algae, which resembles a stunning green carpet, might look beautiful, but combined with weeds and lily pads they deplete oxygen levels in the lake.

The ecosystem around the Dal Lake produces a rich harvest of various agricultural produce, which is sold at the floating market, one of the largest of its kind in South Asia. These markets assemble on the lake at daybreak, as early as 5 am. Business is brisk and everything is sold by 7 am, after which the vendors return to their respective villages.

Gulam Hasan and Zarina are heads of a joint family of four brothers. They have been living in the Faizabad area of Rainawari for many years now. Gulam Hasan runs a business of selling Kashmiri shawls and woollens. Soniya (centre) is the eldest of three children and she is a bright and feisty girl. She designs and tailors lehengas and other Kashmiri dresses and wishes to have her own store some day.

Most families have a strong sense of kinship and they live in big joint families. Gender roles are well defined; while the men run shikaras and engage in outdoor work, the women occupy themselves with household chores and bringing up the children. The shared concept of space and responsibilities is an important aspect of social life among the communities living on the Dal.

A Kashmiri woman collecting lotus plants. The lotus stems, locally called 'nadru', are a delicacy in Kashmiri cuisine. Nadru was extensively harvested from the waters of the Dal, but cultivation was wiped out during the 2014 floods. Nadru has since made a comeback, thanks to the hard work of farmers who revived it on the Dal Lake.

Houseboats and shikaras are all locally made by master craftsmen, who have been making boats for generations. The primary material used is deodar wood which does not decompose in water. The lake area is dotted with small workshops and factories that make boats throughout the year. Each shikara takes at least 10 days to be finished and might sell for anywhere between 1.5‒2 lakh rupees.

The practice of living in houseboats started during the British Raj. The Maharaja of Kashmir prohibited the British from buying land, so they started living on water. Each one of these boats have at least five to six rooms with elaborate walnut woodcarvings and open decks. Most of them have their exclusive shikaras which are used for sightseeing and transportation. The houseboat owner and his family generally live in a separate boat, which is moored close by.